Street letter-box



(No Model.)

W. M. EITZWATER.

STREET LETTER BOX.

No. 476,996. Patented June 14, 1892::

v ff u W EN" uA y' \lIlImlIlllllllll\lIllI.IllllllllllIlllllll'lllllllllllllllllll'llll'll Il' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM M. FITZ\VA"ER, OF BERRYVILLE, ASSIGNOR OF SEVEN-'LENTES TO ll. L. D. LEVIS, S. J. C. MOORE, A. MOORE, JR., C. KOVNSLAR, AND G. G. CALMER, OF CLARKE COUNTY, AND MARSHALL MCCORMICK, OF

BERRYVILLE, VIRGINIA.

STREET LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming pari; of Letters Patent No. 476,996, dated June 14, 1892.

Application filed April Z0, 1891. Renewed May 14, 1892. Serial No. 432,988. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. FITZWATEH, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Berryville, in the county of Clarke and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Boxes, ot which the following` is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to mail or letter boxes, and has for its object the production of abox into which the Inail-matter can be readily and easily inserted and securely inclosed, so as to prevent purloining thereof, and also to prof vide a box which shall be simplein construction, lasting or durable, inexpensive, and capable of being readily constructed and rigidly secured in place.

The invention comprises a box having an opening in its front wall and a pocket or conductor open at its lower end and pivotally secured thereto, so that when in its normal position mail can be readily inserted in said pocket and conducted to the interior of the box.

The invention further comprises a box or receptacle having an upper over-han ging portion and a pocket or conductor pivotally mounted in said overhanging portion so as to normally coincide with the lower end thereof and to carry or conduct the inail-matter to the interior of the box and at the same time close the opening in the latter as against access from without.

Theinvention also comprises the detail construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully set t forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a View in perspective of my improved mailbox. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View thereof on the line azac, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line y] y, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a detail vien7 with parts broken away, showing one end of the connecting` cross-bar extending from one side of the box or receptacle.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the box or receptacle, which is preferably made of cast-iron or other suitable material, andis composed of two parts or sections a a. The part or section a comprises two corresponding end pieces a2, having front over-hanging or protruding portions a3, connected together by an upper cross-piece a, the lower edge of which is coincident with the lower ends oi the overhanging portions CL3. A curved or cut-out portion is preferably formed in thelower edge of the cross-piece a4. To the end pieces d2 are also connected a lower front cross-piece h, a horizontal bottom l1', and a partition b2, which latter atits forward portion extends diagonallyfrom the top of the side pieces down a short distance into the box or receptacle, and thence horizontally to the rearend of said side pieces. This partition forms a pocket or re eeptacle B, wherein newspapers or packages are designed to be inserted through an opening C in one end of thebox. The upper edge of the cross-piece b is thickened, so as to form a ledge h3, which is curved from its front edge upwardly to its rear edge. Between the parallel lower and upper edges of the upper and lower cross-pieces au opening is formed extending throughout the length of the box. At one end ot' this opening is a horizontal flange or projection ht, which serves as a restupon which an operator can place one end of a bundle of letters, and thus can readily control the other end of such bundle with one hand.

The part or section a is composed ot' ther is preferably ot' approximately-triangular` shape in crossfsection, and in one end is a semicireular groove or recess, which coincides with a corresponding groove or recess in one of the end pieces a2, forming the opening C for the insertion of paper, the., into the receptacle B. A bead or iiange is formed around the lower edge of top d, and the same hugs the upper edges of the front and sides of the part or section' a.

D designates a pocket or conductor having a lower open end and which consists of two parallel front and rear walls e and end pieces e2, the front wall being higher than the rear wall. From the extreme upper ends of the end pieces e2 project short rods orlugsf, which are designed to rest in grooves or recesses f' in the upper edges of the end pieces a2, so that the pocket will normally occupy a vertical position at the front of the box or receptacle and bear against the upper front cross-piece a4 and entirely close the opening formed between said crosswpiece and the lower front cross-piece b. rlhis pocket free to move on its pivots and swing inwardly until its movement is arrested by contact with partition b2, when the front wall e will be coincident with theinner edge of the curved ledge b3 on the upper end of cross-piece Z).

In practice the operator by resting one end of a package of letters on the rest bfcan readily force the other end thereof up into the pocket D, and by pressing on the latter the bundle of mail will be carried inward over and beyond the ledge b3 and dropped into the box or receptacle, from which the same may be removed through any suitable door-such as that shown at V--form ed in the lower front crosspiece b. A piece of glass is preferably placed in the door, so that the contents ofthe box or receptacle can be readily seen from without.

In applying my improved mail or letter box the part or section a is first rigidly secured in place by screws inserted through the holes or apertures d", after which the part or section a is secured thereto by the dovetail socket and tenon connections, and the latter is rigidly held bya suitable screw projected through a cross-barf2 of part of section a and working in a threaded aperture in back piece d. Thus the screws holding section a are concealed, as is also the screw holding section a.. The cross-bar f2 is integral at its ends with the end pieces a2 of section a.

The advantages of my invention are apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will be especially observed that by means thereof a person can with one hand place a bundleof letters into the pocket or conductor without the least trouble and by forcing the latter rearward cause the contents thereof to fall into the box or receptacle, from which it. is impossible to remove the same unless through the door provided for that purpose. It will also be seen that the box can be readily and easily attached to a door, wall, or other suitable place and can be rigidly and firmly held as against surreptitious removal or loosening.

While I have described the box as being composed of but two parts, it is obvious that the formation thereof may be changed at pleasure without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim as my inventionl. A mail or letter box having ahorizontal opening in its front wall and a pocket or conductor open at its lower end and pivotally .mounted in position above said horizontal opening so as to coincide at said lower end with said opening and designed to move inward, as set forth.

2. A mail or letter box having an upper ovcrhanging portion and upper and lower cross-pieces, between which an opening is formed, and a pocket or conductor pivotally mounted in position so as to coincide with said opening and. designed to move inward, as set forth. Y

A mail or letter box having an upper overhanging portion, upper and lower crosspieces, between which an opening is formed, a pocket or conductor having a lower-open end coincident with said opening and having short rods or lugs projecting from its upper end, forming pivotal bearings therefor, substantially as set forth.

4. A mail or letter box havinga horizontal opening in its front wall and a flange or projection atonc end thereof, forming a rest, and a pocket or conductor pivotally mounted in position and having a lower open end coincident with said opening, substantially as set forth.

5. A mail or letter box having an upper partition therein, forming a pocket or receptacle and having a horizontal opening in its front wall, and a pocket or conductor pivotally mounted in position andhaving its lower open end coincident with said opening and designed to be limited in its movement by said partition, substantially as set forth.

y G. The herein-described improved mail or letter box, comprising the part or section having the top and the back piece, which latteris provided with grooves or recesses and holes or apertures and the part or section having the end pieces provided with tenons fitting said grooves or recesses, the apertured cross-bar, and the screw projected therethrough, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signatu re in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM M. FITZWATER.

Witnesses:

JOHN E. FAY, FRANK H. THATCHER.

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